Month: July 2016

Cactus Love – Instagram Edition

Oh Friday, it feels like it’s been forever since we last met! I’ve been laid up all week after my cruise with an Upper Respiratory Infection and Laryngitis (what up old smoker lady voice), but that’s not going to stop me from enjoying my favorite day of the week! If you follow me on Instagram (Pretty Little Cactus) then you know how much I love sharing goodies that I’ve tried or spotted. I’ve been crushing hard on all things cactus related, for obvious reasons, and I wanted to share my latest finds!

Hunt Collective Ltd: State Sign Holders – I’ve been stalking the Hunt Collective LTD. Instagram feed on the regular, this guy is so talented! I’ve got my eye on a few things in his shop and I can’t wait to order my Florida sign to hang on my back porch with a new succulent in it.

Another Hunt Collective Ltd. must have!

Luna Beehive: Felt Cactus Magnets – I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this adorable IG account, but I do know that I instantly went “OMFG THIS IS ADORABLE!” and went to her Etsy shop as fast as my little fingers could type. She makes the sweetest little magnets and pillows, they are so cheerful!

Can’t handle the cuteness on my fridge!

Small Wild: Cactus Ring Totems – Oh ceramics, an art that has always alluded me. What this artsy gal does with clay and glaze astounds me and I am determined to get my hands on as many pieces from her as possible! She creates the coolest mini animal necklaces and totems, and posts them in exclusive batches each Sunday in her shop. I’ve been lurking on her website for weeks waiting for more cactus goodies. I’m patiently waiting and biding my time…

Mother Flower, those are gorgeous!

Sacred Elements: Agave Notebook – I’ve fan girled this account for a while now, and when I checked out her Red Bubble shop it was love at first sight! I’m a sucker for natural photography, so when I saw the iPhone cases and notebooks, I just had to get a few. I get compliments on my phone case all the time! I got the Tough Case and it’s tried and tested. I basically can’t hold anything like an adult, so I drop my iPhone almost daily but it’s still kicking!

I know you’re wondering…yes I did drop my phone during the making of this picture.

Florida Cactus Inc: Succulent Nursery – Oh Florida Cactus Inc, how I love thee. The hours I’ve spent walking through the greenhouses, drenched from the Florida sun and not giving an eff. This family owned greenhouse was a lucky find, and it’s only 30 minutes outside of Orlando! They have several huge greenhouses filled with cacti and succulents of almost every variety. They don’t have an actual website, but based on the thousands of orders they receive each year, I’m guessing they do great phone order business. I once went there and saw them packing up over 2,000 Lithops for an out of state order! You can read more about them and my first visit here.

I always take my number one girl with me to Florida Cactus. Hi Laila!

Well friends, I am off to go enjoy my Friday with family and friends. It’s actually my THIRTIETH BIRTHDAY so I took the day off and plan to stuff my face with waffles, play with my kids, and relax in my potting studio on my patio with a few cold ones. Cheers to the weekend!

Have you ever driven past a restaurant and wanted to go in purely based on their vibe?

Obviously the string lights and cactus drew me in!

That’s how it was for me when I drove past The Smiling Bison. It’s set on a sweet little side street in the Baldwin Park District of Downtown Orlando, complete with a mini cacti garden and string lights…swoon! I love to shop locally and source from my community, so I felt compelled to recap my experience for my fellow Orlando peeps! Fast forward to dinner the next week with two of my favorite gals and I quickly discovered the best part about The Smiling Bison – THE FOOD! I’m a sucker for anything locally sourced and artfully plated, so I was basically the happiest woman on earth! First up: the dranks.

Spring Thyme Sangria and The Peach Cobbler

You guys!!!! They are amazing. The Peach Cobbler was my favorite, but of course I tried everyone else’s too because I’m THAT girl. The FireBloom was my second favorite; I’m not sure how they mix hibiscus and jalapeno and make it taste good, but it’s a flavor party for your mouth, trust me. Starry Nights is their take on an Old Fashioned and has aztec cocoa bitters as a special note, which was rich and flavorful. The Spring Thyme Sangira has -you guessed it- thyme, strawberries, and other goodies in it. It was refreshing and delicious as well. I probably could have stayed there and just sucked down drinks all night, but I’m 30 now so I guess I’ll be responsible and not drink my food anymore…

New Life Mission – Make Own Summer Sausage! Or, just keep eating this!

Anywho. We were lucky enough to go during their springtime menu; they change their menu seasonally to reflect the produce of the season that they get from local growers. Each of us got an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert so we could all sample each other’s picks. I. Was. Impressed. Chef Josh is a culinary master. I choose the House Made Summer Sausage which came with cheese, grain mustard, house made pickles, and grilled bread. For a relatively simple spread, it knocked my socks off! My new mission is to figure out how to make my own summer sausage…it’s gotta be easy right? No? Moving on. I also sampled the Peach Salad (goat cheese fritters, enough said) and the Poutine (cheese curds, ditto) and both were ridiculously tasty. Apparently they have Brunch Poutine which I can’t wait to shove in my face and wash down with mimosas soon. Can you tell I’m writing this post while hungry? Never food blog while starving!

My First Love – Shopping!

One of my favorite blog topics to browse are “Friday Favorites and Style Guide” posts. I’ve decided to combine the two with my new segment, Friday Finds! Because I’m a rebel like that.

I love to shop, hate to have what everyone else has, and don’t like to search too long to find items that fit my style.

Sandals: Turns out, my husband is even more amazing than I previously thought. Not only did he secretly book a cruise for us, but he planned with my family to have ALL OF MY SIBLINGS AND MY BEST FRIEND come with! More on this later. While browsing Target for the perfect swim suit to hide my extra beer weight, I stumbled upon these perfect sandals and I couldn’t get them in my cart fast enough.

Hat: Thanks to my Scottish heritage, my skin may be olive, but I am not down with extra freckles and skin cancer isn’t really my style. Enter the sun hat, one of my summer must haves. J. Crew can be a bit pricey, but for a classic that I wear year after year, I’m good with the cost if it means it will hold up over time!

Rifle Paper Notepad: I’m slightly obsessed with being organized, which means that I make lists for every-damn-thing! Bills, To-Dos, reminders on how to breathe in and out slowly so that I don’t lose it when my kids are mortal-combat-style fighting…you get the picture. I also am a sucker for anything from Rifle Paper Co, because just look at it! I use this notepad everyday, but I’m not worried about running out because guess what?! They’re having their semi-annual sidewalk sale in Winter Park tomorrow from 10-5!!! You’re welcome locals. You can find their website here.

How to Be Parisian: Anyone who knows me knows that while I rarely watch TV, my nose is ALWAYS stuck in a book. This book may sound a little silly, but it’s a really fun read! I’ve been in love with Paris since my first french class in the 7th grade, and this book read like some of the stories that my fabulous french teacher told me about her college days exploring France with her Parisian girlfriends. Classy, rebellious, witty, and just snobby enough to be cute.

Sun Safety Essentials Kit: Okay, I’ll admit it. I used to go to tanning beds. GASP! Come on, it was before everyone was becoming aware of skin cancer and premature aging! For the past 5 or so years, I’ve been diligent about sun protection, both for myself and my children. I’m also in head-over-heels love with Sephora, and each year they roll out their new Sephora Favorites Sun Safety Kit and I always snap it up ASAP. The products are all travel size, but they all pack a punch and are super effective. My favorite from this year is the Coola Makeup Setting Spray. It’s on the expensive side, but it works like a charm! It dries immediately and protects your face (and make up) with SPF 30! Win-win in my book!

Strawberry Basil Mule recipe in my last post! And yes, that is a Harry Potter lightening bolt on my mule mug…

Michael is traveling this weekend to help my parents and little sisters move down to Florida (finally) so I’m flying solo with Laila and Carson…and my growing to-do list. While searching for easy and semi-healthy breakfast recipes for the kiddos, I stumbled across this recipe and wanted to share! Cheers to the weekend friends, I hope it’s relaxing and way too much fun!